Loom stop motion



L M. RQGER COM STOP SECTION Filad Jan. 2, 194? A INVENTOR. VZEQNAPD M memes 2 Sheets-Sheet l AGENT Marsh 9 W48, L. M; RQGERS LQOZH S'I'QP MOTION Filed Jan. 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zrg. 4 INVENTOR.

LEoJmpD M. Ros/r25 Patented Mar. 9, 1948 2,437,406

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Leonard M. Rulers, Mention, Man "J to Draper Corporation, Booed; Hz, a corpo- Application January 2, 1947, Serial No. 719,874 8 hime. (Cl. 139-353) This invention relates to stop motions for value must be employed to secure the necessary looms, and more particularly to electromechanaverage value. other objections to high voltages ically operated knoc -ofl' structures for looms emin the detector circuits are the fire and electrical ploying electrical loom-condition detectors, such shock hazards introduced by employment of such as electric warp-break detectors, electric weft de- 6 voltages. tectors and electric harness motion detectors. Another objection to prior art loom stop motion Electromechanically operated knock-oil strucsolenoids and magnets is that they tend to beforms. Perhaps the most efi'ective and widely to become sluggish in operation or to fail to operused type is one in which a solenoid coil is em- 10 ate at all. To insure operation in spite of lint it tion on a ferromagnetic core to lift or otherwise urns in its winding than would otherwise be move a link or lever system connected with a necessary. While successful in insuring operadagger oraknock-ofl'. tion, that type or coil greatly compounded the The knock-oi? is arranged to be rocked or othevil of arcing at the detector contacts in an oberwise moved from a normal idle position into vious manner. an active position in the path of a regularly- Efforts have been made in the past to reduce moving actuator. When thus moved and engaged the troublw incident to employment of link or by the actuator the knock-ofl is actuated to move 20 lever mechanisms between the solenoid and the loom stopping structure such as a shipper handle knock-off. For example, it has been proposed to from operating to loom-stopping position, The employ a flexible wire connection, commonly reabove mentioned links or levers become badly ferred to as aBowden cable connection, in place during operation of the loom, and also are likely 35 troduced between the solenoid core and the to become deformed or maiadjusted by a careless knock-oil, and allowing a shorter travel or the operator during cleaning of the loom. To allow solenoid core. It also has been proposed that a for this wear and deformation oi the parts of the shunt or holding circuit be employed to shunt linkage the solenoid coil and core have been dethe detector or circuit closer and thus reduce signed to provide a relatively long working stroke 30 the extent or likelihood of arcing at the detector oi the core. Thus after the parts have become contacts, However, thes efforts have not been worn the slack in the linkage will be taken up completel successful in overcoming the previand the core still will have an eflective iinkageously mentioned objections to prior art struc= operating stroke. To produce the magnetomotive tures. Lint and grease accumulations still caused force necessary to move the core through a long 5 sluggish operation, and the shunt circuit struc working stroke a relatively large number of arm ture employed allowed the shunt circuit contacts pere turns was required in the solenoid coil. This to drop open and chatter alternating current in turn required employment of high voltage or answer was employed to energize the stop motion heavy currents, or both, in the electrical circuits. circuit.

An objection to either heavy currents or high 49 With the above considerations in mind it is an voltages in such circuits is that arcing and burnobject of the present inv n on o pr vide ll ing of detector contacts results when detection tr me h ni al 1 m S e ng i ll i' in .of a fault occurs. In the case of electrical warpeluding a solenoid coil and core and shunt cir break detectors the arcing is especially severe cult means and which is immune to trouble since due to drop-wire dancing or vibration, the 45 caused by lint and grease and which can he used tive circuit of the solenoid tends to create an are 59 u ariv-m ins or nd a H r n i l and to maintain the are when established The knock-off movable into the path or the actuator, fact that the circuit is thus opened and closed a e o d a d co e. on cased member connectmany times compounds the trouble since with ing the core and the knock-oil, and shunt ci rcui slight movement of shipper handle is the core toward active or stopinitiatlng position. It is an additional object of the invention to provide an electromechanical loom stopping structure wherein the several moving parts of the stoppage-initiating structure are of light-weight construction, are not susceptible of easy disarrangement, are immune to trouble arising from lint and grease deposits, and require only low voltage-low current electric power for operation. Another object of the invention is to improve generally electromechanical loom stop motions.

The above objects and others that will hereinafter become apparent are attained by the invention, one preferred embodiment of which is disclosed in the following description considered with the companion drawings. In the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a view from within the loom of certain parts of the loom structure with devices according to the invention applied in operating position; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through an electromotor according to the invention, with associated structure;

Fig. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical apparatus of the stop motion;

Fig. 4 is a view of a shunt circuit contact and spring according to the invention, in flat condition, on approximately the same scale as Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views illustrating details of the power transmitting means interconnecting the electromotor means and the knock-off of the loom; and

Fig. '1 is a view in section taken along and in the direction indicated by line 1-! of Fig. 1, considerably enlarged.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in Fig. l a left-hand loomside l0, and a left-hand lay sword 12 upon which is mounted one end of a lay beam l4. Supported for rotation in bearings not shown is a crankshaft [8 to which is pivotally connected a multiple-piece pitman Ill. The pitman is connected at its left-hand (forward) end to the lay sword l2 as by means of a pin 20. Mounted on the pitman and extending laterally thereof is a hunter 22 arranged to engage a knock-off 24 when the latter is raised into the position shown in Fig. 1 by means to be later described. The knock-off has an integral pivot 28 by which it is pivotally mounted on a lever 28 which in turn is pivotally mounted as by a. pin 30 on a bracket 32 fixed on the loomside l0. Lever 28 is pivotally connected to a knock-off rod 34 which is connected at pin-and-slot connection 38 to a shipper handle 31. Shipper handle 31 is connected by means (not shown) to loom clutch and brake means (not shown) for controlling starting and stopping of the loom. When the moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, loom stoppage occurs, and opposite movement is effected to start the loom. Lever 2 8 is normally held in idle or loom-running position by a spring 38 attached to its lower extremity and extending under tension to a hook formed on the lower end of bracket 32. Knock-01f 24 is normally held in idle position out of the path of bunter 22 by a spring 4|! secured at one end to a cotter pin 42 secured in the end of pivot 26 and at its other end to lever 28.

when knock-oil 24 is moved to the position indicated in Fig. lit. is engaged by the downwardly and forwardly moving bunter 22, as shown in that figure. As the bunter continues its movement, knock-off 24 moves downwardly, causing lever 28 to rock about pin 80 and draw knock-off rod 86 rearwardly, whereby shipper handle 88 is moved and loom-stoppage effected. At a certain point in its downward and forward movement bunter 22 slips off knock-oil 24. whereupon springs 38 and to restore members 24, 28 and 34 to normal idle positions.

The enumerated structures herelnabove described are conventional and they and their operation are well understood by those skilled in the art. Per se they are not of the present invention and are shown and described solely as aids in understanding the invention.

In attaining the objects of the invention there 'is provided a novel electromechanical structure including electromotor means 44 (Fig. 1) secured to the loomside ill by means of a bracket 46 and bolt 48, and power transmitting means including a flexible Bowden cable sheath 50 of spirally formed wire secured at its lower end to the electromotor and at its other end to an anchorage 52. The electromotor means and appurtenant structure is arranged, as will hereinafter appear, to receive an electrical indication of necessity for loom stoppage from an electrical loom-condition detector, to retain the indication, and to translate the indication into an actuation of the power transmitting means which in turn is arranged to move knock-01f 24 from idle to loomstopping position. The anchorage 52 is received within the bore of a cylindrical foot 54 formed as a part of lever 28, and is therein held in adjusted position by a set screw 56. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the anchorage comprises a cylinder 58 having a reduced internal diameter at its upper end, and a threaded plug 60 turned into the threaded lower end of the cylinder. Plug to is formed with a threaded bore into which is turned one end of sheath 50. Prior to being turned into plug 60 the sheath is distorted sufficiently to produce a. permanently set kink or bend therein near the end, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Upon turning the kinked portion of the sheath into the plug it is found that the distortion is removed, that is, the sheath is straightened, but the tendency for the permanently set distortion to assert itself causes the sheath to be tightly set within the plug. This not only permits doing away with a set screw to lock the sheath, but also allows ready adjustment of the sheath in relation to the anchorage. The Bowden cable core, in the form of a rod li2,extends from the sheath inside the cylinder and includes a head or plunger 64 which may be formed integrally with the rod or separately and then attached to the rod. In either event the plunger acts as a termination of Bowden cable core. The plunger is provided with a return spring 66 whose tendency is to return the plunger wholly into the cylinder. The arrangement of the anchorage and plunger with respect to lever 28 and knock-off 24 is such that the knock-01f rests in idle position on the upper end of the cylinder and is raised to active or knock-off position by movement of the plunger outwardly of the cylinder in response to upward movement of the Bowden cable core.

Referring to Fig. 2, the electromotor means comprises a headed and threaded plug 68 which has a threaded longitudinal bore Ill into which is turned the lower end of sheath 50. The lower end of sheath 50 may be kinked in the same manner as the upper end, thus providing for secure fastening of the sheath to plug 68. Plug 68 extends through a hole I2 in bracket 48 and is turned into the threaded bore of a casing head 14.

the power transmitting 6 Thus the'plug performs the plural functions of principal electric circuit in a manner to be presattachlng the head to the bracket and of forming ently described. Le a seal and an anchorage for sheath 50. Head 14 of the solenoid coil 80 and also to sleeve 84 as by is preferably of ferromagnetic material and has soldering at III. The preferred arrangement of attachedt'o it by suitable means. such screws I6, head 94, spring I03, contact I02, core 88 includ- 11, a hollow casing barrel 18 which may be of ing plug 90, sleeve 84, and other appurtenant parts round or square or other cross-section to conform is such as i indicated in Fig. 2 which shows the to the peripheral shape of head I4. Nested withparts in idle position with the solenoid coil dein the casing barrel below head 74 is a solenoid energized. The arrangement is such that spring coil 80 insulated from the barrel by insulation I03 is partly compressed by and supports the aid the maginsulatlng sleeve 82 and extending outwardly netomotive force produced upon energlzation of thereof is a non-magnetic metallic sleeve 84 which the solenoid coil, in raising She core to active acts as a'guide for the solenoid core and performs position near or against stop 8 other functions as shall hereinafter be explained. Referring to Fig Within the lower end of the threaded bore of head circuit diagram of '20 connected the solenoid coil and shunt circuit driving motor power supply (not shown), the

as to produce a voltage in the range from two to made nearly as wide as the end of body 88 for a is unnecessary, the source being in that event reason to appear hereinafter. The shank of the 7 connected to the circuits at D and E. From one plug is provided with a small bore 92 extending terminal of the secondary a lead I06 extends to a axially thereinto from the end opposite the head, first terminal of a switch S provided to allow disas indicated in Fig. 2. Into the latter bore is abling of the circuits. From the other terminal '40 of switch S a lead I07 extends to lead A of the releasably but firmly attached to the solenoid core solenoid coil. From lead B of the solenoid coil for movement thereby. The end of casing barrel a lead I 08 extends I8 opposite head 14 is covered by a head 94 of condition detector (h held therein by a tight frictional fit or may op- D of the transformer secondary. Thus the transtionallybe attached thereto by screws in the same former secondary, switch S coil 80 and the demanner as is head I4. Head 94 (Figs. 2 and '7). tector are connected in series relationship. If

two leads, A and B, extend to the solenoid coil is energized and the core will be drawn toward ends at 98, 99, respectively. The head 94 is also the interior of the coil. This movement of the provided with a centrally located hole I00 through core is aided by spring I03 to the point where conwhlch a shunt circuit terminal screw IOI is fitted. tact I02 engages sleeve 84, since spring tilt has Held in position on the inner face of head 94 been held in compressed or stressed status by the The stamping is formed preferably of Phosphor magnetomotive force, is produced when the core bronze or a copp rryllium alloy, and is provided is most distant rom the center of the coil, and it with a hole I05 for screw IllI. After insertion is at that time and position that the sprin i of the screw, contact I 02 is folded over spring 5 03 most highly stressed. In effect, the spring acts to the cross-section of metallic sleeve so, and as i maintain the movement decreases, and the numdicated in Fig. 2, is arranged when assembled ber of lines of force produced per ampere turn with spring M3 on head 94, to contact sleeve 34 is greatly increased. This occurs as the force when permitted to do so by the solenoid core. exerted by spring I103 diminishes. When the core It will be noted that the head of plug 90 insulates has moved but a part of the way into the interior the metallic core body 88 from contact I02. Atof the coil, contact Hi2 engages sleeve 84. This tached to screw Illl as by nuts I05 is a shunt cirresults in the establishment of a shunt circuit cult lead (1 (Fig. 2) which is connected to the across the detector, which has two advantages in enemas the present invention. First, establishment oi the shunt cuts out or at least practically short circuits the relatively high resistance comprised in lead I08 and the detector. This allows an increase in current iiow through th coil whereby the magnetomoti e force acting on body 88 is increased just at the time spring I03 no longer aids inmoving the solenoid core. Second, the shunt circuit as arranged according to the invention positively precludes disruption of current flow through circult-opening at the detector. In view of the nature of contact I02 and sleeve 34 an excellent electrical connection is made over a relatively large area of those two elements, insuring positive and low-resistance contact. Additionally it should be noted that since the core continues to move away from contact I02 after the latter engages sleeve 84, chattering r oscillatory movement ofthe core due t employment of alternating current power, or due to other cause, will have no eifect upon the efficacy of the shunt contact and cannot cause arcing at the detector. It should also be noted that since the coil and core are completely enclosed, the parts cannot readily be disarranged or deformed by loom-cleaning oparations and are quite immune to troubles caused my accumulations of lint and grease. The several features described enable the electromotor to be designed to operate very satisfactorily for an iniefinitely long period of time without any attention or adjustment, and to operate at a much lower voltage and current rating than is usual with loom stopping devices. The reduced voltage and current rating results in substantial elimination of arcing at the detector, and in reatly lessened electric shock andfire hazards.

As may be evident from Figs. 1, 2 and 5, when the solenoid core is moved inwardly in response to energization of the solenoid coil, rod 62 is moved through sheath 50 and plunger 64 is pressed outwardly of anchorage 52 and spring 66 is compressed. As plunger 64 moves outwardly it raises knock-oil 24 into active position for envertical consistent with substantially optimum operation. Sleeve 86, while acting as a conductor or contact, also acts as an anti-friction guide for the solenoid core, keeping the latter member from scarifying sleeve 82. It should be noted that the power-transmitting means interconnecting the eiectromotor and the knock-off is such as to yield under forces accidentally or otherwise applied thereto during loom-cleaning operations, thereafter readily reassuming proper. position automatically; and that it is immune to any adverse effects from accumulations of grease and lint which heretofore have caused much trouble and annoyance. The entire electro-mechanlcal structure is in fact capable of easy andlong continued operation when covered with grease and lint,

Having fully disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention it is evident that changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and what I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: r

1. In a loom stop motion having a source of electric energy, an electric loom-condition detector, a regularly moving actuator, and a normally idle 'knock-ofi' movable into the path of the actuator to initiate loom stoppage, in combination therewith: electromechanical means to move the knock-off into the path of the. actuator, said means comprising electromotor means and mechanical power transmitting means connected to and arranged for actuation by said electromotor means; said electromotor means including a generally upright hollow cylindrical casing having gagement by bunter 22. It is evident that once the shunt circuit has been closed, action or behavior of the detector is immaterial. Due to the aid extended by spring I03 in moving the core and due to the relatively short movement of the core required before engagement of contact I02 and sleeve 84, the shunt circuit is established and is effective in an extremely short period of time. If desired, switch S may be mechanically linked in any suitable manner with shipper handle 31 so wh n the shipper handle is moved to loom-running position the switch will be closed, and vice versa. This will insure interruption of current flow through the solenoid coil while the loom is not operating. Such interconnection of switch and shipper handle is conventional practice and forms no part of the present invention.

It may be pointed out that in those applications of the invention wherein the solenoid coil cannot conveniently be arranged with its axis vertical or only moderately inclined, spring 86 necessarily will be stronger than in the latter cases, to cause return of the core and rod 62 after deenergization of the coil. In either case, the constants and characteristics of springs and I03 are so related that spring I03 will be slightly compressed and contact I02 spaced from sleeve 84 when the solenoid coil is deenergized. The preferred arrangement is with the coil axis vertical or nearly so, so the full benefits of the described construction may be realized. Fig. 1 illustrates the electromotor in a position deemed to be or maximum tilt from the ends the upper one of which is provided with a headed and threaded plug having a centrally located threaded opening, a solenoid coil fitted within the casing with its bore generally upright, a non-magnetic electrically conductive sleeve electrically connected to one end of said coil and arranged partly within the coil bore and extending outwardly from the lower end thereof, a solenoid core including a cylindrical solenoid core body slidably fitted within the sleeve and provided with an axially extending bore and electrical insulation on the lower end of the core body and within the bore thereof, a shunt circuit including contact means comprising a compressible spring and contact in the lower end of said casing and normally compressed by said core bodyand insulation and arranged to rise into electrical contact with said sleeve to close the shunt circuit when released by upward movement of the core body incident to energization of said coil; said power transmitting means comprising rod means passing through said opening and secured at one of its ends within said core body bore and positioned at its other end to actuate said knock-oil, and means including an anchorage and a flexible spiral wire sheath kinked near each end surrounding and guiding said rod means and with its lower kinked end tightly fitted within said opening and with its upper kinked end in the anchorage, said anchorage positioning said rod means for cooperation with said knock-oil; and electrical circuit means including connectors connecting said electric energy source, said detector, and said solenoid coil in a series electrical circuit and said shunt circuit in shunt relation to said detector. I

2. In a loom stop motion having an electric thread-condition detector, a movable knock-oil, and a source of electric energy, in combination therewith: electromechanical means to move the knock-011E; and electric circuit means; said electromechanical means comprising mechanical power transmitting means and electromotor means; said electromotor means comprising a hollow casing having ends the upper one 01' which is provided with a threaded opening, a generally vertically arranged solenoid coil within the casing, a non-magnetic electrically conductive sleeve electrically connected with said coil and fitting partly within and extending out of the solenoid coil at the lower end thereof, a solenoid core including a tubular magnetic core body mounted for upward movement in said sleeve in response to energization of the solenoid coil and electrical insulation covering the lower end of the core body and extending within the bore thereof, and shunt circuit means including a spring contact normally held by said core in open circuit condition and arranged to electrically contact said sleeve to close'the shunt circuit when the core is raised incident to energization of said coil; said mechanical power transmitting means comprising rod means one end of which is connected by said insulation to said core body and which extends out of said casing through said opening and to said knock-oif for movement of the latter upon upward movement of the core, and a flexible spiral wire sheath threaded into said threaded opening and sheathing a portion of said rod means to guide the same; said electric circuit means including connectors connecting said source, said detector and said solenoid coil in a series circuit and said shunt contact means and sleeve in shunt relationship with said detector.

3. An electromechanical loom-stopping struc-' ture including a normally idle mechanical loomstopping linkage, a regularly moving actuator for actuating said linkage, and electromechanical means for causing interaction of the actuator and loom-stopping linkage and comprising in combination therewith: a mechanical power transmitting element arranged to move a part of said linkage; electromotor means for operating said element; a source of electric power for the electroelectric loom-condition decircuit means interconnectprising an electromagnet coil, first and second shunt circuit contacts, means including spring mean urging said second shunt contact into engagement with said first shunt contact and to electrically interconnect them in shunt relation across sai detector, and an armature for said attire engaging said power transcircuit closer in a series circuit and said first and second contacts in shunt relationship with said circuit closer; a normally idle solenoid core normally holding said second contact out of engagement with said first contact and moved from idle sitioned between 10 to active position out of holding relation with said second contact upon energization of said solenoid coil; and means interconnecting said core and said knock-oil for movement or the latter by force derived from the former.

5. In aloom stop moving actuator and a normally idle knock-on movable into the path of the actuator, solenoid coil and core means, a flexible power transmitng means comprising a rod and a spiral wire sheath surrounding said rod, said rod being Dosaid core and said knock-oil and arranged for movement oi. the latter incident to movement of the core, and an interiorly threaded tubular anchorage for said sheath, said sheath having a permanently set distortion near an end thereof and having said distorted portion threaded into said anchorage, whereby said sheath is securely and adlustably held in said anchorage.

6. An electromechanical loom stopping mech-- anism for a loom having a source or electric energy, a regularly moving actuator, a normally idle knock-013? movable into the path of the actuator, and thread-condition detecting means including an electric circuit closer, comprising in combination therewith: a casing having a threaded opening, a solenoid coil and a movable solenoid core within the casing, rod means secured in the core and extending through said opening to said knock-01f, a spiral wire sheath for the flexible rod means fitted at one end into said opening and having a permanently set deformation adjacent the other end, an interiorly threaded tubular anchorage for said sheath threadably receiving said deformation, said rod means actsaid knock-oil, and electric circuit means connecting said circuit closer, said source, and said solenoid coil in current conducting relation to cause energization of the solenoid coil and movement of the core for moving the knock-oil into the path oi. the actuator.

7. An electromechanical loom stopping structure including a regularly moving actuator and a normally idle knock-oil movable to active position in the path of the actuator in initiate loom stoppage, electromechanical means for moving the knock-01f from idle to active position and including electromotor means and mechanical power transmitting means interconnecting the electromotor means and the knock-off for movement of the latter; said electromotor means including: a, solenoid coil, first and second shunt circuit contacts normally relatively biased toward interengagement, and a solenoid core normally maintaining said second contact out of engagement with said first contact and moved entirely away from said second contact upon and by energization of said solenoid coil.

8. A unitary encased electromechanical loomstoppage initiating structure comprising: electromotor means including a coil, an armature, and a casing enclosing said coil and armature and having an opening; mechanical power transmitting means comprising rod means engaging said armature for transmitting power therefrom and extending through said opening, said power transmitting means also including a sheath se cured in and closing said opening and surrounding that portion of the rod means exterior to said casing.

LEONARD M. ROGERS. (References on iollowing page) motion comprising a regularly memos '1! E2 7 REFERENCES GITED I Number Name Date The following references are of record in the 13373447 Payne 1932 file 0! this patent: FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Country Date Number Name Date 413,360 Great Britain July 16, 1934 1,826,810 Gordon Oct. 6, 1931 

